Government “sitting back” despite gas and electricity price rises, says McDonald

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has accused the government of “sitting back” and allowing more than a million households to take “a hit of further hikes in gas and electricity prices” coming into effect tomorrow.

Speaking in the Dáil during Leaders’ Questions, she said “these increases range from 8% to 11%. Sharp increases that will heap more pressure on people.”

“The hikes will kick in as households deal with rising rents, increasing food prices, and expensive back-to-school costs. And that’s before we mention the sky-high cost of car insurance and childcare,” she said.

Addressing Taoiseach Micheál Martin, she stated “Irish households already pay the highest electricity prices in the European Union.”

“On average, we pay almost €500 more a year than our European neighbours. We already have record numbers unable to pay their energy bills – with more than half a million household accounts in arrears.”

Concluding, she added: “You should choose to step up. To have the backs of households faced with these big energy price hikes. To take action to rein in the energy companies. You should provide people with support – here and now. That means intervening directly and providing the energy credits households need.”